Wire-coil winder

ABSTRACT

Wire coming hot from a rolling mill is carried to a coil stacker on an apertured conveyor on which it cools after being deposited thereon in a series of overlapping loops by a dispenser including a continuously rotating tubular arm which is centered on a horizontal axis. A cutter ahead of the dispenser, responsive to a delayed trigger pulse from a photocell which monitors the entry of the leading end of the wire into an observation zone, removes the irregularly formed leading portion of any fresh length of wire but is inhibited from operating at instants when the arm is so oriented that the tip of the trimmed wire would reach its exit end in a position in which the wire tip could become entangled in the mesh with a grid-type conveyor or fall between parallel conveyor bands. This inhibition is brought about by a signal generator, such as an inductance co-operating with a magnet carried by the rotating arm, whose output either enables the cutter drive in a predetermined arm position or blocks it during the passage of the arm over certain parts of its orbit.

United States Patent J Geipel et al. Y i

[ 51 Dec. 5, 1972 [541 WIRE-COIL WINDER [73] Assignee: HuttenwerkOberhausen A.G.,

Oberhausen, Germany 221 Filed: Aug. 2, 1971 [211 Appl.No.: 168,091

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 4, 1970 Germany ..P 20 38747.7

[52] US. Cl. ..72 /1l, 72/132', 83/370, 83/399, 72/14 [51] Int. Cl...B21f 11/00 [58] Field of Search ..72/l1, 23, 25,14, 132,15; 140/1, 2,102; 83/362, 370, 399, 400; 266/3 e75 C3 l t" Primary Examiner-Lowell A.Larson Attorney-Karl F. Ross [57] ABSTRACT Wire coming hot from arolling mill is carried to a coil stacker on an apertured conveyor onwhich it cools after being deposited thereon in a series of overlappingloops by a dispenser including a continuously rotating tubular arm whichis centered on a horizontal axis. A cutter ahead of the dispenser,responsive to a delayed trigger pulse from a photocell which monitorsthe entry of the leading end of the wire into an observation zone,removes the irregularly formed leading portion of any fresh length ofwire but isinhibited from operating at instants when the arm is sooriented that the tip of the trimmed wire would reach its exit end in aposition in which the wire tip could become entangled in the mesh with agrid-type conveyor or fall between parallel conveyor bands. Thisinhibition is brought about by a signal generator, such as aninduct'ance' co-operating with a magnet carried by the rotating arm,whose output either enables the cutter drive in a predetermined armposition or blocks it during the passage of the arm over certain partsof its orbit.

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures WIRE-COIL WINDER Our present inventionrelates to an apparatus for the cooling of hot wire, especially rolledsteel wire, preparatorily to winding same into a coil.

In order to cool a length of wire of indefinite length coming hotfrom,say, a rolling mill in which it is sized before final drawing, it isconvenient to deposit the wire in a succession of preferably overlappingloops on an apertured conveyor surface formed by an endless web ofperforated sheet metal, wire screen or the like or by several parallel,transversely spaced endless bands. In order to spreadthe loops evenlyover the conveyor surface, use is made of a dispenser in the-form of arotary tubular arm of bent shape whose entrance end is centered on anadvantageously horizontal axis of rotation and whose exit endisgenerally transverse to that axis. Rotation of the wire about ahorizontal axis not only simplifies the advancing of the wire to thedispenser but also results in amore uniform loop pattern as comparedwith dispensers centered on a vertical axis, since in the latter casethe speed of the dispenser outlet relative to the conveyor variesconsiderably throughout a cycle of rotation.

. At the startof a coiling operation, the leading portion of a freshlength of wire coming from the rolling mill is generally irregularlyformed and must be discarded. For this purpose a cutter may bepositioned ahead of the dispenser and may be actuated by a delayedtrigger pulse from a preferably photoelectric detector upstream of thecutter monitoring the arrival of the tip of the wire at an observationpoint. The delay undergone by this trigger pulse is so chosen that, withthe wire fed at a predetermined velocity, thecutter is actuated as soonas a leading portion of desired length has moved past the cuttingstation. The length of this portion, which is to be discarded, may be onthe order of meters. The cutter operates instantaneously and reopensrapidly to let the tip of the trimmed body of wire advance to thedispenser where it enters the guide tube whose eccentric outlet may bepositioned at that instant anywhere along its orbit.

Some of these tube positions are not favorable to a proper deposition ofthe leading wire end on the conveyor surface. Thus, if the outlet pointsdownwardly at the moment when the wire emerges therefrom, the wire tipmay become entangled in the mesh of a grid-type conveyor or may dropbetween adjacent belts, cables or chains of a band-type conveyor. Withan upwardly pointing tube outlet a similar situation may exist as theemerging wire end bends over and descends more or less vertically to theconveyor surface.

It is, therefore, the general object of our present invention to providean improved wire-coil winder of the character just described in whichthe emergence of a wire tip from the continuously rotating dispenser istimed to coincide invariably with a relatively favorable dispenserposition, regardless of the orientation of the dispenser at the momentof operation of the monitoring detector.

This object is realized, pursuant to our invention, by the provision ofa signal generator at the dispenser having an output circuit connectedto the cutter control for synchronizing the operation thereof (inresponse to the trigger pulse from the detector) with the rotation ofthe dispenser to prevent the emergence of the foreshortened wire fromits outlet in an unfavorable angular position thereof.

The signal generator at the dispenser may be of any conventional type,e.g., mechanical, photoelectric or electromagnetic, with a movableelement (such as a magnet) carried on the rotating dispenser and with aco-operating fixed element (such as a pick-up coil) positioned forperiodic excitation thereby. The output signal of this generator may beeither an enabling pulse or a blocking pulse recurring at least once percycle of rotation; in the first instance the delayed trigger pulseshould be broadened to a width at least equaling the recurrence period,whereas in the second instance this width need only exceed that of theblocking pulse.

The invention will be described in greater detail with reference to theaccompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic overall view, partly in section, of awire-coil guide embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 1, showing a partialmodification; and

FIGS. 3 and 4 are two time diagrams relating to the operation of thesystems of FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively.

In FIG. 1 we have shown a feeder, including two counterrotating groovedrolls 21 and 22, for a wire 1 coming hot from a rolling mill notillustrated. A monitoring station 23 includes a slotted wire guide 24defining an observation zone, a lamp 25 on one side of that guide and aphotocell 11 on the opposite side; this photocell is thus illuminated inthe absence of wire 1 and cut off when the leading end of that wiretraverses the guide 24. A differentiation circuit 26 (also including thenecessary source of energy for the photocell) derives from the resultingconductivity change a sharp trigger pulse P (FIG. 3 or 4) which thenpasses through a delay circuit 12 where it undergoes a predetermined butpreferably adjustable retardation 8 on its way to a pulse separator 27.The latter circuit, which could also precede the delay network 12,converts a delayed replica P of the spike P into a broad pulse P" ofduration T which is fed to an AND gate 28 controlling the operation of adriving mechanism 10 for the movable blade 9 of a cutter also includinga fixed counterblade 9.

A dispenser 3, separated from the cutter 9, 9 by a distance sufficientto allow for the severance of the desired length of leading wireportion, comprises a bent tube 5 whose exit end has an outlet 5' offsetfrom the horizontal axis of its inlet portion, the latter beingjournaled in bearings 29 for continuous rotation about-this axis bymeans of a motor 30 and a belt, chain or other transmission 31. A funnel4 enshrouds the outlet end 5' of the tube 5 carrying a bar magnet 14which periodically excites an electromagnetic pick-up coil 13 mounted onthe funnel near the orbit of the magnet. This excitation generates atiming pulse Q (FIG. 3) which, after an adjustable delay in a network14, reaches the other input of AND gate 28 to render the latterconductive in the presence of the broadened trigger pulse P", therebyoperating the cutter 9, 9'. With only one magnet 14 and only one coil 13cooperating therewith, the timing pulse Q recurs only once per cycle ofrotation; thus, the pulse duration T should at least equal the length ofsuch a cycle.

The wire I exiting from tube 5 is deposited in successive loops 16 onthe surface of an endless conveyor 7 here shown as consisting of wirenetting or thelike. These loops are unloaded, at the discharge end ofthe conveyor onto a stacker-8 which assembles them into a coil.

In FIG. 2 we have shown the tube 5 provided with a modified signalgenerator represented by a cam 14a and a set of normally open 'contacts13a periodically closed by that cam, contacts I3a being inserted betweena voltage source 32 and an inverting input of an AND gate 28a whosenoninverting other input receives the output of pulse shaper 27 as inthe embodiment ofFIG. 1. Cam 14a may be of quadrantal shape so as toclose the contacts 13a during a quarter of a revolution, therebygenerating a blocking pulse Q (FIG. 4) which inhibits the operation ofcutter drive while the tube 5 is in an unfavorable position. In this instance the duration T of the broadened trigger puls e P" need onlyexceed the width of blocking pulse Q in order to actuate the cutter atthe trailing'edge of the blocking pulse if the two pulses partlycoincide, as shown.

Naturally, the make contacts 13 of FIG. 2 could also be replaced bybreak contacts with suppression of the inverter in the input of theassociated AND gate. FIG. 2 further shows, by way of example, a modifiedconveyor 7a consisting of a plurality of transversely spaced, endlessbands.

The conveyor as well as the signal generator of FIGS. 1 and 2 are, ofcourse, interchangeable 0r replaceable by equivalent conventionaldevices. Monitoring detectorll could also be replaced by equivalentmeans such as, for example, a mechanical feeler.

The loops 16 may have a diameter of, say, 100 to 120 cm, which in thesystem of FIGS. 1 and 3 may result in a variation of the length of thesevered leading portion by up to about 3.8 m. This variation may behalved by the provision of a pair of diametrically opposite coils 13 onthe funnel 4, connected in parallel, the locations of these coils beingso chosen as to let the wire emerge in the most favorable positions ofthe tube 5. With the modified system of FIGS. 2 and 4, the variation inlength will be reduced to a quarter of its aforestated magnitude even ifthe signal generator produces two pulses Q per cycle, e.g. in the twoquadrants approaching (or including) the zenith and nadir positions ofthe dispenser outlet 5 The adjustability of delay circuits l2 and allowsfor changes in wire-feeding speed and/or in the length of the wireportion to be discarded. Since the wire speed affects the intervalbetween the operation of the cutter and the arrival of the wire at thetube outlet, network 15 will alsobe needed in the circuit of FIG. 2 ifthis speed is to be subject to major variations.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for winding hot wire into a coil,

receiving the cooled loops; monitoring means disposed ahead of saiddispenser for generating a trigger pulse upon detecting the arrival ofthe leading end of a fresh length of wire fed at a predetermined rate tosaid dispenser;

' cutter means downstream of said monitoring means in the path of saidlength-of wire for severing a predetermined leading portion therefrom;

control means for said cutter means responsive to said trigger pulse,said monitoring means being provided with a timing circuit includingdelay means for retarding the arrival of said trigger pulse at saidcontrol means by a predetermined period corresponding to the length ofthe leading portion to be severed; and

signaling means at said dispenser having an output circuit connected tosaid control means for synchronizing the operation of said cutter meansin response to said trigger pulse with the rotation of said dispenser toprevent the emergence of the fore'shortened wire from the dispenser inan unfavorable angular position. i

'2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein. said dispenser comprisesa bent guide tube with an entrance end centered on a substantiallyhorizontal axis of rotation and an exit end generally transverse to saidaxis.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said signaling meanscomprises a generator of timing pulses operatively coupled with saidtube.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said generator includesmagnetic means on said tube and a pick-up coil adjacent said tubepositioned for periodic excitation be said magnetic means.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said timing circuitincludes pulse-shaping means for broadening the delayed trigger pulse toat least a substantial fraction of a cycle of rotation of saiddispenser.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said signaling means hasan output in the form of a recurrent enabling pulse, saidpulse-shapingmeans broadening the delayed trigger pulse to a width atleast equaling the recurrence period of said enabling pulse.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said signaling means hasan output in the form of a blocking pulse, said pulse-shaping meansbroadening the delayed trigger pulse to a width greater than that ofsaid blocking pulse.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein the width of said blockingpulse corresponds to at least a quarter of said cycle of rotation.

1. An apparatus for winding hot wire into a coil, comprising: anapertured conveyor; a rotary dispenser above said conveyor fordepositing a continuous length of wire thereon in a succession of loopsto be cooled preparatorily to stacking; a coil stacker positioned beyondsaid conveyor for receiving the cooled loops; monitoring means disposedahead of said dispenser for generating a trigger pulse upon detectingthe arrival of the leading end of a fresh length of wire fed at apredetermined rate to said dispenser; cutter means downstream of saidmonitoring means in the path of said length of wire for severing apredetermined leading portion therefrom; control meanS for said cuttermeans responsive to said trigger pulse, said monitoring means beingprovided with a timing circuit including delay means for retarding thearrival of said trigger pulse at said control means by a predeterminedperiod corresponding to the length of the leading portion to be severed;and signaling means at said dispenser having an output circuit connectedto said control means for synchronizing the operation of said cuttermeans in response to said trigger pulse with the rotation of saiddispenser to prevent the emergence of the foreshortened wire from thedispenser in an unfavorable angular position.
 2. An apparatus as definedin claim 1 wherein said dispenser comprises a bent guide tube with anentrance end centered on a substantially horizontal axis of rotation andan exit end generally transverse to said axis.
 3. An apparatus asdefined in claim 2 wherein said signaling means comprises a generator oftiming pulses operatively coupled with said tube.
 4. An apparatus asdefined in claim 3 wherein said generator includes magnetic means onsaid tube and a pick-up coil adjacent said tube positioned for periodicexcitation be said magnetic means.
 5. An apparatus as defined in claim 1wherein said timing circuit includes pulse-shaping means for broadeningthe delayed trigger pulse to at least a substantial fraction of a cycleof rotation of said dispenser.
 6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5wherein said signaling means has an output in the form of a recurrentenabling pulse, said pulse-shaping means broadening the delayed triggerpulse to a width at least equaling the recurrence period of saidenabling pulse.
 7. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein saidsignaling means has an output in the form of a blocking pulse, saidpulse-shaping means broadening the delayed trigger pulse to a widthgreater than that of said blocking pulse.
 8. An apparatus as defined inclaim 7 wherein the width of said blocking pulse corresponds to at leasta quarter of said cycle of rotation.